It all comes down to this
by Stars and love
Summary: While trying to find out the truth about her family, Sybil meets a young man who shares part of her past. Feelings begin to develop and soon learn they are living the life their so many greats grandparents wanted to live. -The past is bases loosely on Downton Abbey- -Rating may change-


A/N: Storyline is mine as are the characters Sybil and Branson. -Set in modern time-

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It all comes down to this

Chapter 1: Branson

The wind blew the leaves on the tree outside distracting her from the current world. She rested her head in her left hand and watched the outside live its life. A loud noise snapped her attention back to reality. "Honestly Sybil will you please pay attention to the matter in hand," Her teacher said sounding tired of constantly having to snap Sybil back to reality.

"Sorry Mrs James," Sybil apologised. Some people giggled whereas others looked fed up at her. The bell rang and everyone got up and left for lunch.

"Sybil please wait behind," Sybil waited and stood awkwardly by her desk. Mrs James closed the door behind the last student and sighed. "What's going on Sybil?"

"Nothing. Everything's fine," She lied.

"Please don't lie to me," She rested against her desk and looked at Sybil with an expression of sadness.

"Just thinking about stuff that's all,"

"What kind of stuff?"

"My family. Stuff like that,"

"What about your family?" Mrs James asked interested.

"What happened to them, stuff like that," Sybil looked down. "I love my foster parents but I feel like there's something missing. I just want to know that's all,"

"It's ok Sybil I understand," She walked over to Sybil and crossed her arms. "I can help if you want," Sybil smiled.

"Thank you Mrs James. I'd appreciate it," Sybil left the room and wondered the corridors. She rested against her locker and watched the people walk past her. They were happy, or at least some of them were. No one seemed bothered; they had their own problems.

"People watching again Sybil?" A girl laughed as she opened the locker beside her. "Hey Sybil come back to planet earth," Sybil looked at the girl.

"Sorry. I seem to keep doing that," She smiled a little.

"What's wrong?" The girl asked.

"Stuff to do with my family," The girl next to Sybil sighed. "What?" Sybil asked. "Melanie?"

"What's so wrong with your family now?" Melanie asked feeling a little hurt.

"Your parents are great and so are my foster parents but I want to know why my parent's left me," Melanie sighed again and looked at her best friend.

"You gone to city hall?"

"Not yet but I am after this," Sybil lifted herself from the locker and walked with her friend towards the door.

Sybil stared at the giant building standing before her. A breath left her lips and she walked up the stairs. She pushed open the heavy wooden doors and walked up to the front desk. As she reached the desk, a woman behind it looked down her nose at Sybil. "What can I help you with child?" She asked sounding almost disgusted by the sight of Sybil.

"I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of births, deaths and marriages with the name Crawley," Sybil asked innocently.

"You can ask Mr Branson," The woman looked back at Sybil and pointed to a man by some shelves. "He's over there,"

"Oh right. Thank you," Sybil left and walked to the man putting some books away. "Hi, the lady behind the desk said you could help me with finding records,"

"What name?"

"Crawley," Sybil replied. The man looked up at her shocked by the name.

"Crawley? As in the surname for the lord and ladies of the 20th century?"

"Are there anymore Crawley's?" Sybil asked surprised by his knowledge. "I didn't know they were but it must be them,"

"I'll show you," She followed him down some corridors and he suddenly stopped. He picked out some books and walked over to a table. "Would you like some help?"

"Sure," They both sat down and he handed her a book or records. "How did you know that they were lords and ladies in the 20th century?" She finally asked after 10 awkward minutes of silence.

"Someone in my family worked for them,"

"Could we be related?" She asked him. He looked at her confused by her question.

"What do you mean?"

"I have this letter. Well I found it in some of my old things. It explains one of my so many greats grandmother that she fell in love with a Branson," She took out the letter. "The lady behind the desk said your name was Mr Branson. I just thought…,"

"My so many greats grandfather worked for the Crawley family and fell in love with one of the daughters," He looked at the girl. "She loved him back but couldn't leave her family and fortune," He took the letter.

'She must not have loved him that much then," Sybil said flicking through the book.

"What's your name anyway?"

"Sybil. Sybil Crawley," The young man looked surprised again. "What's yours?"

"Just call me Branson," He looked at the letter and read it.

_Dearest Tom,_

_ I know you wanted me to run away with you and I want so much too. However, I cannot bring myself to disappoint my family and make them cause for gossip. It would break my mothers heart. Unfortunately this is the detail you seem to over look when the situation arises. Please leave for Ireland like you planned for the both of us. I will be staying here._

_Forgive me_

_Sybil_

He folded the letter back up and handed it back to Sybil. "You have the same name as the woman who broke his heart,"

"I'm sorry,"

"Why?"

"I don't know," Sybil lost track of time flicking through the record books and taking notes. The original Sybil Crawley died in 1920 after the birth of her child Sybil. Every other female before, her mother, her grandmother and her mother before her were all named Sybil. Most of them died shortly after childbirth, which depressed her a little. She knew her grandmother and mother were alive still but wasn't any closer to finding out where they were.

"Is everything ok?" Tom asked Sybil. A tear rolled down her cheek and onto her lips. She licked it off gently and looked up at him.

"Although they were lords and ladies, a lot of them still died young,"

"Most people did back then," He reached over and offered her comfort. "Maybe you should give up for today," She looked at him. "It's a lot to take in Sybil,"

"Maybe your right," She closed the book and gathered up her notes.

"May I ask why your surname is Crawley?"

"My mother had me out of wedlock,"

"But that can't have been her proper surname,"

"That's what I want to find out,"

"Do you want to get something to eat?" He asked her grabbing his coat after placing the books back where they belong. "I can show you some websites that may help you look when you're at home,"

"Sure why not," Sybil smiled a little and he smiled back. He had an amazing smile and glistening blue eyes. His hair, dark blonde was parted slightly and smart. She brushed a piece of her dark hair behind her right ear and could feel her cheeks turning red. She quickly turned her back to him and they walked to the café across the street.

"Why wont you tell me your name?" Sybil asked him while drawing on her napkin.

"Because it's not important," He looked at her. "Why did you apologise for the name you have?" He asked.

"Because you sounded hurt when you found out my name. Not to mention you said I had the same name as the women who broke Tom Branson's heart,"

"I didn't mean anything by it,"

"It sounded like you did,"

"So why do you really want to look up your family history?"

"It's not important," She smirked which made him smile. "How come you work in that place?"

"I'm putting myself through college," The food arrived and we ate and talked some more. I got home and walked up to my room. Everything was silent except from the living room. I could hear the TV blazing away as they sat and watched their program like hey did every night. She shut the door behind her and removed her notes from her bag. As she lifted her laptop open she, Branson's Irish voice entered her head. _'Just call me Branson'_. She could feel a smile cross her lips.


End file.
